Illuminating attachment for telephones.



i. BERRY & 9.1 ODINEAL ILLUMINATING ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 6 1915.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIo-E. I

JAMES BERR Y AND DAVID T. ODINEAL, 0F LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA.

ILLUMINATING ATTACHMENT FOB TELEPHONES.

Specificationpf Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

Application filed February 6, 1915. Serial No. 6,621.

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, in wh1oh- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a subscribers outfit of the desk type with our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a front elevation of a subscribers outfit of the wall type provided with our invention; and Fig. 4 a view of a modified form of the switch plug.

The-object of this invention is to provide a simple attachment to a telephone subscrib-- ers outfit which when the receiver is removed fromits hook and the. hook is thus free to rise as usual, a lighting circuit will be automatically closed :to thereby 'illumi- V nate the vicinity of the subscribers outfit, our invention being particularly intended for use in booths and other dark places where it is desirable to have temporary illumination either before or after the receiver is removed from its hook, to enable the user of the telephone to make pencil memoranda, examine the telephone directory, etc., the construction being such that when the receiver is returned to its hook the circuit closer will be automatically opened to thus break the circuit and extinguish the light or lights and thereby avoid waste of current, as

more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, a designates a suitable support or receptacle which is adapted to be clamped to the standard of a desk outfit by a clamp b, as shown in Fig. 1, or which may be fastened in any suitable manner to the wall outfit, as shown in Fig. 3. This receptacle or support is fastened rigidly directly under the receiver hook 0 of the telephone outfit, this hook being arranged to normally rise, as usual, when the receiver is removed therefrom. p 7

Normally pressing upwardly a ainst the "under side of-the hook is,a rod which is tacts g which are included in an electric circuit 12. containing a lamp or lamps i and connected to the usual wires jof themain, the arrangement being such that when the circuit between the contacts g is closed the lamp or lamps will be in circuitwith the usual city or local'lighting s stem. The circuit closin rod (Z is provi ed with insulation materlal is at a point where; the insulation will separate the contact springs while the rod cl is in its usual position. It will be observed that when the receiver is removed from the hook and the hook is allowed to rise, the spring" f will cause the rod d to rise and bring the metallic part of the rod below the insulation into contact with the contacts 9 and thus complete the circuit, and it will be also observed that in case the user of the telephone desires to obtain illumination before he removes the receiver from the hook he may readily accomplish this by simply pressing down with his finger on the finger piece 0 to bring the metallic part of the rod to a point above the insulation into contact with the contacts g. In other words, it will be seen that whether the rod be pushed downwardly or be allowed to spring upwardly, the circuit will be completed and the lamp or lamps lighted, so that the user may have illumination before he starts to use the telephone or may simply obtain it automatically when he removes the receiver from the hook.

In Fig. 2 the contacts are arranged so that they bear upon the insulation material, but it will be observed that instead of insulation material the push pin may be reduced in diameter at a neutral point in its length, as

whereby when the receiver is removed from In testimony whereof We hereunto afiix 10 our signatures in the presence of two witnesses this 4th. day of February 1915.

JAMES BERRY, DAVID T. ODINEAL.

Witnesses:

S. O. CAMPBELL, Rev. G. V. VAN DER LINDEN. 

